Coin-controlled optical instrument



3,632,377 June MF 39272 H. M. .JOHNSON COIN CONTROLLED O'PTIVCALINSTRUMENT Filed Nov. l5. 1924 Patented June i4, i927..

unirse ortica.

n COIN-CONTROLLED OPTICAL INSTRUMENT. l

y Application filed November 13, 1,924. vSerial No. 749,652.

` sons using .said glasses, because only a small charge ismade foreachuse. y

The object of my invention is to provide simple coin-controlled meansfor locking the optical'instruments in inoperative position,

l5 whereby the instrument is rendered normally'inoperative, in thatit isheld immovable,rpointe'd towards a surface of the supporting means ofthe instrument, and thusv cannot be pointed atany object; but when acoin of a predetermined denomination is deposited inthe lock, the latteris released and the optical instrument may then be pointedv to theobject to be viewed; and upon thev user of theinstrument returning the`same to its'original position, it again becomes automatically locked inplace, and inoperative.

arms, an optical instrument pivotally carried by; said base or support,so that it may' be pointed at the object to be viewed, means for lockingsaid instrument in position facing said lbase or surface thereof, thusrendering thev instrument inoperative; and coin controlled means forreleasing said locln'ng means, whereby upon the insertionofa cer taincoin in'said` lo'ckingmeans the instrument is releas'echsothat it may beproperly manipulated;` and said locking means 'being again renderedactive by the act of the user of the instrument returning the same toits initial position.

Another' object of my invention is to provide mechanism by which theinstrumentv nor can the mechanism be opened except by,

means of a proper coin.

v Ehe above mentioned features are hereinafter fully described ingreater detail, reference being made to the accompanying` drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is asectiontaken substantially on theline 1-1 of Fig. 2, some ofthe parts being broken away to disclose details of construction; y

Fig. 2 is a` section taken substantially on the line. 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;i

Fig. v.et is a diagrammatic fragmentaryY view of a portion of themechanism and showsy the co-operative relationship'of the parts;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of thereof.

ln my invention the instrument which is shownvin the drawings and whichis controlled by the coinoperated mechanism, is a pair of binocularswhich is mounted between two hollow supports 2 and 3 which are carriedby a hollow rotatable base 4.

one of the parts Within said base 4 is enclosed all of the operativemechanism of 'my invention. lSaid base is carried upon a trunnion 5carried by I attainmy object in a device comprisingY a base, or -othersupport, including spaced' a fixed ledger or shelf 6'. Said trunnionextends kthrough the bottom of said base 4, and the base has r.anupstanding flange 4av about 'said trunnion, which is slightly shorterthan' the portion extending into said base and thus a pin 7 can extenddiametrically through said trunnion and overlie thev top of saidupstanding flange thus preventing the hollow base 4 frombeing removedfrom the fixed ledger or shelf' 6. Said instrument l is carried bytrunnions 8 and '8a at each side,v the trunnion 8 having a spherical end9, which is mounted in suitable bearings 10 within the hollow support 2.Said bearings 10 are tightened by a screw 11 which extends up throughsaid hollow support and which can be manipulated from within thehollowbase at apoint adjacent the door l2 in said l base. v Y

The end of thetrunnion 8 is provided with a pulley 13 to which one endof the flexiblecord 14 is fastened. lSaid cord is mounted over theperiphery of said pulley and extends centrally throughy the hollowvertical support 3. A suitable guide 15 is provided at the lowerend ofthe vertical support 3 to hold the coi-din substantial alinement withsaid hollow support. The othenend of said flexible cord is fastened toand mounted over a pulley 16 carried by the shaft 17 which is carriedbetween two spaced bearings 18 fastened to the hollow base 4.

A disc 19 is also carried by said shaft 17 and has a projection 20 onits face which engages a rockable member 21 which tends to stop saiddisc in a predetermined position. In this position, a slot 19 for thecoin 22 which actuates the device, is arranged in vertical alinementwith the receptacle 23 provided for the coin.

Said roeirable member 21 is held in engagement with said projection 20by a spring 24. Said rocka-ble member 21 carries a con- `-trol linger 25which extends about said rotatable disc 19 to a point adjacent the slot21, in its normal position. The end of said control ilnger is arrangedso as to be lifted b a predetermined com 22, when said `disc 1g isrotated by a movement of the instrument beiner controlled.

Spring tends to hold said finger in such a manner that the projection 25engages a shoulder 27 formed upon the disc 19. A box 28 Within saidhollow base receives the coin 22 from the slot 19l after said disc isrotated and has lifted said linger 25. Said box 28 is provided with astop receiving means 28". A cam-shaped member 29 engages the rockablemember'21 each time said disc 19 is rotated and rocks said member aboutits pivot 30 in such a manner as to actuat'e the counter 31 once eachtime said instruments are lifted.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

When it is desired to use said instrument, a coin 22 is placed in thereceptacle 23 and allowed vto fall into the slot 19. With the coin inthis position, the instrument 1 can be rotated about a horizontal axisto substantially horizontal position, and thus can be used to View thesurrounding landscape. The coin 22 Strikes the underface of the finger25 and lifts it to such a degree that the projection 25a clears theshoulder 27 to prevent their engagement. As said disc is `rotated by themovement of said instru.-` ment through said iiexble cord, theprojection 29 engages oneend of said rockable member 2l and rocks thesame about its pivot 30 to actuate the counter member 31.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a base, spaced verticalsupports carried by said base, an opt-ical instrument carried by saidsupports, means for locking said instrument in position facing said basewhich,

thus serves as a shield therefor, coin controlled means for releasingsaid locking means, said locking means being reset by a movement of saidinstrument to its original position. Y

2. `In a udevice of the character described, a base adapted for rotationabout a vertical axis, an optical instrument carried by said basemounted for adjustment to two positions,` means for locking saidinstrument in position facing said base which thus serves as a shieldtherefor, coin controlled means for releasing said locking means, saidlocking means being reset by a return movement of said instrumenttowards its original position.

3. In a device of the character described, a base mounted for rotationabout a fixed axis, spaced supports carried by said base, an instrumentcarried by said sup said optical instrument being moun for rotationabout an axis normal to lthat about which said base rotates, means forBoeking said instrument in position facing said base which thus servesas a shield therefor, coin controlled means for releasing said lockingmeans, said locking meansbenrg reset `by a return movement of saidinstrument to its original position. i

4. In a device of the character described" a base, spaced supportscarriedb .Said base,

an instrument carried by' ,sai supports, means for locking saidinstrument 1n one position, coin controlled means for relaas ing saidlocking means, a. rocltable" member coo erating with a rotatable partof' said loc ing means, said rockaole member acting as a stop toposition said locking meahs.

5. In a device of the character described, a base, spaced supportscarried an instrument 'carried by sai pports, means for locking saidvinstrument in one position coin controlled means for releasing 'said locing means, said lookin means bein reset by a movement of sai instrumentyre atively to said supports, a rockable member cooperating'with arotatable part of said locking means, said rockable member acting as astop to position said locking means, means on said rotatable part, ofsaid loci:- in means ada ted to engage Said rockab e member when said'instrument is rotated relatively to said supports.

6. In a device of the character described, a base, spaced supportscarried b said base, an instrument `carried by sai, supports,` means forlocking said instrument 1`n one position, coin controlled meansfforreleasing said locki means, a rockable member cooperating w1 h arotatable part 4of said locking means to limit the rotation ,thereof` inone direction, and a counter actuated by each move of said rockablemember.

7. In a device of the character described, a base, spaced supportscarried by said base, an instrument carried by said supports, one ofsaid su ports being hollow, meansl for lookin sai instrument in onestion, coin contro lfd means for releasing `saidlocliing b said base i'a.

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means, the first mentioned 'lineans being consupport and fastened tothat end of said instrument extending into said hollow support.

8. In a device of the character described, a rotatable hollow base,spaced, Vertical, hollow supports carried by saidbase, an instrumentcarri-ed by said supports, means within said hollow supports for lockingthe said instrument to said supports, means for locking said instrumentin one position, said means being connected to said instrument by meansof a flexible cord passing through one of said hollow supports andfastened to that end of said instrument extending into said hollowsupport, coin cont-rolled means for releasing said locking means, saidlocking means being reset by a movement of said instrument relatively tosaid supports.

HERMAN M. JOHNSON'.

